Our Company Blog

If there is one thing we care about it, it’s providing our customers with the knowledge they need to maintain a safer home. That’s why we like to take full advantage of any opportunity to spread some fireplace and chimney facts! The San Diego County Fair is one of our favorite spots to visit. With over 1.5 million in attendance, there are tons of ways to promote fireplace and chimney safety!

This year was no different. We met tons of great families and homeowners who were unaware of how important regular maintenance was for their chimney, dryer vent, and masonry. We would like to thank everyone who stopped to talk to us, as well as all of our loyal customers throughout the area! Without all of you, we wouldn’t be able to spread this important knowledge year after year.

If you’re ready to hear more about these topics, read below! Then contact us today to see what we can do for you.

Why Chimney Maintenance Is Important

By investing in annual inspections and sweepings for your chimney, you gain added peace of mind regarding the safety of your home. For one thing, clearing out creosote on a regular basis significantly decreases your chance of chimney fires! Creosote builds up more and more with every fire you burn, and it is a very flammable substance. The more you have, the riskier things get. And chimney fires can cause a lot of damage, threatening the integrity of your entire structure.

Another reason why regular inspections are important is so that sweeps can identify and address any necessary repairs before more frequent burning periods begin. If you have cracks, holes, clogs, or any other type of wear and tear, you face a lot more potential hazards, such as fires, smoke back-up, or toxins entering the home.

There’s no time to lose if your system needs a check-up. Call us today!

Why Dryer Vent Maintenance Is Important

Another thing we like to emphasize is the importance of dryer vent maintenance. Although many do not realize it, dryer vents are the cause of thousands of house fires every year. If the venting system gets clogged, your appliance will likely overheat, and any stray sparks could easily cause built-up lint to start on fire with ease.

On top of this, clogged vents cause harmful gases to back up into your home and affect the health of loved ones. These fumes need to properly escape outside and, without a clear pathway, the only place for them to go is back into your home. Prevent this from happening by calling in our experts! We are trained to address any of your dryer vent needs.

Why Wait?

One thing’s for sure… you’ll want to get this maintenance done before the holiday season begins! Ensure your fireplace is ready to go by calling in our techs today. We can’t wait to visit your home and ensure you are good to go!

You could be at risk of an accidental fire in your home if your dryer vent is clogged. The US Fire Administration published a report that found that 2,900 clothes dryer fires are reported every year, and these fires result in approximately five deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property losses. The leading cause for these fires was failure to clean the dryer vent, which means these fires could have been prevented. Weststar Chimney Sweeps can help you prevent an accidental clothes dryer fire in your home with our professional dryer vent cleaning services. Our technicians have the training and experience to remove all of the lint and other debris from your dryer vent, which greatly reduces your risk of a fire. This service is recommended to be done annually, but there are a few warning signs that can alert you to have your dryer vent cleaned as soon as possible. We would like to tell you about these signs so you will know when your vent is clogged.

Your clothes are still damp after a complete dryer cycle.

When the dryer vent is clogged, your clothes dryer cannot work as efficiently as it could. When the hot and damp air is unable to leave the dryer through the vent, it makes it difficult for a load of clothes to dry completely in one cycle. When your clothes are still damp at the end of a drying cycle, you should contact Weststar Chimney Sweeps to schedule an appointment for a dryer vent cleaning. You will notice that your clothes dryer will work better than ever after we have cleaned the vent.

Your dryer is too hot to touch.

A clogged dryer vent causes your dryer to overheat, and the appliance can become too hot to touch. This is a warning sign of a dangerous situation as these high temperatures can easily ignite the lint that is clogged inside the vent. You may even notice a burning smell, and if you do, you should immediately turn your dryer off and contact Weststar Chimney Sweeps to clean the vent.

Your lint screen is only collecting lint on half of the screen.

You should be cleaning off the lint from the lint screen before or after each load of clothes you dry. When your vent is working properly, one side of the entire lint screen should be covered with lint. However, if you notice that the screen is only collecting lint on part of the screen, on both sides of the screen, or not collecting any lint at all, this is a sign that the dryer vent is clogged and unable to work correctly. Weststar Chimney Sweeps can clean the dryer vent so that it will be able to work properly.

If you notice any of these warning signs, your dryer vent is most likely clogged. To prevent this hazard from becoming more dangerous, contact us at Weststar Chimney Sweeps to schedule an appointment for our professional dryer vent cleaning services.